According to an order issued on October 20 by ICJ President Judge Yuji Iwasawa, Israel’s new deadline for presenting its Counter-Memorial has been extended to March 12, 2026.
Israel had requested another extension, arguing that certain evidence submitted by South Africa was incomplete or only available through online links, making review difficult. The country also cited its ongoing participation in separate UN legal proceedings related to the occupied Palestinian territories.
The court had originally set July 28, 2025, as Israel’s deadline, following South Africa’s timely submission in October 2024. After a previous request earlier this year, Israel was granted an initial extension to January 12, 2026.
Pretoria opposed this latest delay, warning that another postponement could weaken the sense of urgency in the case and create an imbalance between the parties.
However, the ICJ stated that it had taken both sides’ views into account before approving the request, noting that future procedural steps will be determined later.
The genocide case, brought by South Africa in December 2023, accuses Israel of violating the Genocide Convention through its military actions in Gaza. The conflict has killed more than 68,000 people and left over 170,000 injured, according to health authorities in the enclave.